Where and how will culling take place? White Buffalo, Inc. specialists will work on private property donated for the purpose, as well as in designated municipal parks.The PA Office of Open Records will argue that no property was donated. Instead, access was granted by the private property owners. Unfortunately for residents like us who feel we have the right to know if high powered rifles will be fired in our neighborhoods, two courts have sided with the municipality.
Our incompetent PIO issued the FAQs on December 2,2016 with four broken links, no specific hours of killing listed, continue to use euphemisms for killing, provide no details on the type of bait or how it will be distributed, and no mention that safety zones do not apply to a cull.
As a political subdivision holding a valid deer control permit issued under section 2902 of the Game and Wildlife Code, Safety Zone requirements do not apply to the permitted activity. Section 2505 (a) of Title 34 specifically addresses this exemption.
Elaine, I'm so sorry to hear about this unjust court ruling, but I'm not at all surprised. Judges typically rule in favor of a state agency like the Pa Game Commission (PGC) and the local municipal government over an individuals rights. The PGC has way too much power, and its power needs to be curtailed and reined in. This ruling was definitely a miscarriage of justice, and doesn't even make common sense. I don't know if your case was based solely on bow hunting or if it also included identifying residences where DeNicola will be shooting high powered rifles putting all the surrounding neighbors in lethal danger. This is totally insane and a serious accident waiting to happen. The PGC needs to have its special permit authority, which enables local governments to suspend all shooting safety zones challenged. In addition, residents afflicted with PTSD should not be subjected to shooting and lethal weapons by their homes or in their neighborhood. Furthermore, the PGC's current safety zones are a total joke and totally arbitrary and need challenged too.
ReplyDeleteIf you are still interested in pursuing this case, I would suggest that you give Vic Walczak, the legal director of PA's ACLU, a call. I think he lives in Upper St. Clair, and see if he would be willing to take this case to the Pa Supreme Court.
Thanks for all of your efforts to identify these hunting and shooting locations so that residents can warn their children to stay out of harms way, and try to protect the safety of their family and pets.